Coop.



C.W. FERGUSON.

CO0P.

APPLICATION FILED JQLY 9. 1914.

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C. W. FERGUSON.

COOP.

APPLICATION mw luLY. 1914.

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IVI I Patented Apr. 113, 1915.

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WIT/11158858' 'WE MORRIS PETERS CO., PHOTO-LITHO., WASHINGTON. D. C.

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CHARLES W.. FERGUSON, OF HOUSTON, TEXAS.

messes.

Application led July Q, 1914.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that ll, CHARLES W. FERGU- soN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Houston, in the county of Harris and State of Texas, have invented certain new and useful Tmprovements in Coops, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a new and useful improvement in coops, and has more particular relation to such devices as are particularly adapted to be used for the purpose of shipping poultry and the like.

The object of the invention is to provide a device of the character described wherein poultry, and the like, may be coniined while being shipped, and which is provided with slidable slats or bars, forming part of each end which may be lockedin a fixed position, but which are also capable of being released from said locking means and moved vertically thus leaving a wide space in each end through which the confined fowls may have access to food and water, placed on the outside of the coop. Tt is always desirable, and in many cases by law required, that poultry being shipped be fed and watered, and if the food and water are placed within the coop they will be wasted by the fowl and the coop will soon become filled with refuse resulting in an unhealthful condition thereof. Tt is consequently preferable that the food and water be placed without the coop, and provision made so that the poultry may gain access thereto, and for this purpose the device herein described has been'provided.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention has particular relation to certain novel features of construction, operation and arrangement of parts, an example of which is given in this specification and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a perspective view of one form of the coop designed to receive large fowls. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of another form of the coop intended for small fowls. Fig. 3 shows an end view of the frame-work. Fig. 4: shows a plan view of the coop. Fig. 5 shows a sectional view taken on the line a-a of Fig. 3, and showing the vertically slidable bar or slat locked in a fixed position. Fig. 6 shows a sectional view of the end frame work taken on the line a-a of Fig. 3, and showing the vertically slidable bar in its lowered position, and Fig. 7 shows Speccaton of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 13, T915.

Serial No. 849,944.

a sectional view of the means for supporting the sliding door.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings wherein like numerals of referenceidesignate similar parts in each of the figures, the numerals 1, 1, 1, 1 refer to the corner posts of the frame work of the device, and the numerals 2, 2, .2, 2 designate binders which are secured upon the inner sides of the respective corner posts, the ends of the cross slats 3, 3, forming the ends of the frame work, however, being secured between the respective corner posts 1, 1, 1, 1 and binders 2, 2, 2, 2, said binders thus being spaced a distance from said corner posts. The sides of the frame work are formed of the top and bottom side members 4.- and 5, which are secured to the upper and lower ends respectively of the corner posts. A suitable bottom G is provided, which is preferably formed of light board or some other light material, and the top and sides of the coop are formed of wire mesh the edges of which are secured under the side members 5 said mesh being drawn tightly over the top side members 4, thus securely holding the top side members in position and being protected by the bottom side members 5.

Two transverse supports 8, 8 are provided, whose ends are secured to the upper side members 4, said supports being spaced a suitable distance apart, and being braced by the cross-bar 9, arranged at one side of the middle point of said supports. Tn case the coop is intended for large fowls the mesh work will be cut away between the supports 8, 8 on the side of the cross-bar 9 giving the most space as shown in Fig. 1, and in case the coop is to be used for small fowls the mesh work will be cut away on the side of the cross-bar 9 giving the least space, as shown in Fig. 2, in either case giving a door way for the admission of fowl to the coop, said door way being controlled by theA door 10. The inner side of each of the supports 8, `8 has lengthwise extending ribs 11, 11, and 12, 12, secured thereto and spaced apart forming opposing grooves in which the respective edges of the door 10 slide, so that the door may be moved back and forth in said grooves and open and close said door way.

Each end of the coop is provided with a vertically movable bar or slat 14e, as more clearly shown in Fig. 3. The ends of this Slat project in between the adjacent corner posts 1 and binders 2 and are movable up and down therebetween. The ends of said slat 14 fall short of the outer edges of the corner posts as shown in Fig. 3 and suitable nails as 15, 15, are driven through the corner posts' and binders opposite the ends of the slats 14 so as to prevent the lengthwise movement of said slats, and likewise suitable nails 16, 16, are driven through said corner posts 1 and binders 2 immediately above the respective ends of theslats 14 so as 'to limit their upward movement. The innerV side of ,each of the corner posts 1 is provided with a flexible hook secured at its upper end to its corner post, and the lower end of which is provided to engage under the slat 14 and holdthe same 'in .itseleva'ted position and `against the nailsl, in which position said slat 14 will -be equally spacedfrom the slats above and beneath. In case it is desired to feed or waterv the iiowls in the coop 'the hooks lmay Vbe withdrawn from under the f slat 14 and said 'sl'at forced downwardly to the position shown in Fig; 6, thus leaving a wide space above `the slat 14 through pensable.

Vhat I claim is In a housing device for animals, suitable corner posts and cross slats forming the side walls thereof, one of the cross slats of one wall being vertically movable, stops carried by Vthe 4corresponding corner posts against which the respective ends of the movable slat engage Jfor restricting its movement in one direction and iexible hooks secured to the'imier vsides .of said corner post-s and engaging with said movable slat and holding it against said stops, said hooks being capablewo'f disengagement from said slat so as to permit its vertical movement.

1n testimony whereof I have signed my name to this speeiication in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

4'Cl-'IARLES W. FERGUSON. Witnesses:

F. J. TAYLoR, ELIZABETH CoNNoLLY.

Uopies e2 this liateixt uiy vbe obtained fr five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner et Patents,

. Washington Ill-C." 

